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Screw Harry Potter... give me Latham

I'm not usually found riding the literary bandwagon. My tastes are a tad obscure and off-beat for the Best Seller lists. This time, though, I just can't resist. After coming on sale this morning, by just after lunch I had my hands on a copy of The Latham Diaries. Asking the friendly sales staff at the Melbourne Uni bookshop whether there'd been much interest in the book, she replied in the affirmative, and explained that they were expecting to have difficulties getting more copies from the publisher, such was the interest. As I grabbed my copy, I noticed there were quite a few browsers, although whether they have the dedication to wade through 429 pages of Latham's ranting is another question.

Though you wouldn't get the impression from the media coverage, The Latham Diaries is about much more than his time as leader. After a lengthy sociological-anaylsis-cum-introduction, the book publishes Latham's diary from his election to parliament in 1994 to his fall from grace in 2005.

As I read the book, I'll be posting the occasional post offering my take, as well as some of the juicy bits which have so far avoided the media radar.

Those of you in Melbourne might be interested in this event coming up next week:

Free Public Lecture

“10 reasons why young idealistic people should forget about organised politics”

Mark Latham, Former Leader of the Labor Party

DETAILS:

Tuesday 27 September 2005, 6.00–7.00pmBasement Theatre in the Sidney Myer Asia CentreThe University of MelbourneThis lecture is free and open to the public. Bookings are essential Ph: 8344 3885 or email cchiam@unimelb.edu.au.

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